Lamictal and Dilantin Linked to Potentially Fatal SJS, TEN

In an autoimmune reaction, a patient’s own immune system — the system that usually fights invading bacteria and viruses — goes haywire. The body attacks its own tissue like it would attack a disease. Depending on which tissues the body goes after, an autoimmune reaction can range from minor irritation to a major medical crisis. One autoimmune disease, Stevens Johnson Syndrome, is such a crisis.

In Stevens Johnson Syndrome or SJS, the body attacks its own skin as it would a foreign organism. The reaction starts with flu-like symptoms. However, these symptoms rapidly give way to a painful rash on the skin and mucus membranes of the mouth and eyes. The rash in turn leads to sores and ulcers as the body attacks the skin. In extreme cases, the reaction can spread to the eyes and internal organs.

In some cases, SJS can escalate to Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis or TEN. In TEN, the body’s attack increases in intensity. Patches of skin die and slough off, leaving damage similar to massive burns. In fact, hospitals must often treat TEN in the burn wards of intensive care units since the damage runs many of the same risks as severe burns, including secondary infection, dehydration and hypothermia. 

Physicians have relatively few options when treating SJS and TEN. In other autoimmune diseases, patients may respond to steroid treatment, but the evidence for its efficacy in SJS and TEN is inconsistent. Instead, physicians resort to supportive or palliative therapy. In this method of care, doctors do their best to manage the condition until the body stops attacking itself. With this course of treatment, patients often suffer from permanent, disfiguring and disabling scarring. When the reaction hits the eyes, this same scarring can cause permanent blindness. Similarly, survivors may also suffer from permanent impaired organ function. And worst of all, anywhere from 5 to 40 percent of patients can die from this condition, depending on the severity of the reaction. 

Lawsuits have been filed against the manufacturers of the drugs Lamictal and Dilantin. These lawsuits have alleged that the manufacturers were well aware of the risks of SJS and TEN associated with these drugs, and did not do enough to protect the public against these dangers. The lawsuits seek compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and permanent lost income potential. 

If you or someone you care about suffered from SJS or TEN after taking a drug like Lamictal or Dilantin, you have almost certainly been through quite an ordeal. A sudden medical crisis like SJS or TEN can entail a lengthy hospital stay, mounting medical bills and lost wages. Unfortunately, some cases end in the death of the patient, leaving loved ones to cope not only with the unquantifiable emotional cost of a lost loved one, but with the financial burden that goes along with it.